World Leisure Jobs - PETA wins court case banning Florida zoo from owning endangered tigers...
19 Apr 2024 World leisure: news, training & property
 
 
HOME
JOBS
NEWS
FEATURES
PRODUCTS
FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION
PRINT SUBSCRIPTION
ADVERTISE
CONTACT US
Sign up for FREE ezine
Latest news

26 Mar 2020

PETA wins court case banning Florida zoo from owning endangered tigers
BY Lauren Heath-Jones

Dade City's Wild Things has been banned from possessing endangered tigers

Dade City's Wild Things has been banned from possessing endangered tigers

Dade City's Wild Things (DCWT), a privately-owned animal park in Dade, Florida, has been banned from possessing endangered tigers, a court has ruled.

The United States District Court in Tampa handed down the judgement earlier this week following a three-year court battle in which the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) claimed that park owners, Randall and Kathy Stearn, were in violation of the Endangered Species Act, due to the treatment of their tigers.

The animal rights group argued that DCWT didn't meet minimum federal standards, set out by the Animal Welfare Act, for the care of animals used in exhibits.

PETA also raised concerns over the park's failure to maintain enclosures and adequate shelters for the animals or provide sufficient veterinary care and claimed that the animals were being mishandled and caused physical harm, stress and discomfort, contending that cubs were being prematurely separated from their mothers and forced to swim and interact with visitors.

The court granted PETA the authority to rehome all of DCWT's tigers at a Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries-accredited sanctuary.

"PETA has taken out a major player in the cruel tiger cub–petting industry, which fuels the captive-tiger overpopulation crisis," said Brittany Peet, director of captive law enforcement at PETA.

"This decision means a new life for the tigers at DCWT, who will soon be able to roam vast habitats, swim in freshwater and live as tigers should for the first time in their lives."

PETA filed a lawsuit against the zoo in June 2017 after a volunteer, who worked at the zoo between 2015 and 2016, reported: "abusive handling, stressed and sickly animals, and a callous disregard for animals' welfare."

The volunteer claimed that cubs were separated from their mothers within just hours or days of birth to be hand-reared, so they could get "used to" being handled by humans and could be used in the zoo's paid-for experiences, such as swimming with tiger cubs.

Also in June 2017, PETA requested to inspect the property, this request was granted by a judge, who issued a court order preventing the Stearns removing any tigers from the property prior to the inspection, however, a day later 19 tigers were sedated and loaded into a cattle trailer, before being transported to the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma, more than 1000 miles away. During transit, a female tiger gave birth to three cubs, all of which died on the journey.

Greater Wynnewood director Joe Maldonado testified that the tigers arrived at the park demonstrating signs of neglect, with open sores, infected toenails, and severe hide fungus.

PETA members were also denied access to the property on the day of the inspection with Kenneth Stearn, Kathy Stearn's husband, boasting about having outsmarted PETA in a video posted to the zoo's Facebook page. PETA was subsequently granted permission to remove 19 tigers from the park to a 720-acre animal sanctuary in Colorado.

In the following January two more tigers, named Luna and Remington, were moved to the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas. Luna and Remington were two of the tigers that had been prematurely separated from their mothers and had been used in DCWT's 'Swim with Tiger Cubs' experience and had been illegally transferred to another Florida facility with two other tigers, Rajah and Rory, during DCWT's attempt to reduce its tiger population prior to the PETA inspection. Rajah and Rory were shot and killed in 2019 after escaping from their enclosure.

US District Judge Charlene Edward Honeywell approved PETA's request for a default judgement "based on DCWT's misconduct in the case, including the illegal transfer of Remington and Luna," and ruled that the zoo was in violation of the Endangered Species Act.

"These tigers were taken from their mothers and used as photo props - but now, they'll live out the rest of their days at an accredited sanctuary where they can run, climb, explore and live as tigers should," said Peet.



Connect with
World Leisure
Magazine:
View issue contents
Sign up:
Instant Alerts/zines

Print edition
 

News headlines
Treningshelse Holding snaps up another Norwegian fitness chain as it sets its sight on market leadership
Treningshelse Holding snaps up another Norwegian fitness chain as it sets its sight on market leadership   19 Apr 2024

Norwegian health club operator, Treningshelse Holding, which owns the Aktiv365 and Family Sports Club fitness chains, has acquired fellow Norwegian operator, Aktiv Trening. The .... more>>
Missed FIBO? Catch up with the HCM roundup
Missed FIBO? Catch up with the HCM roundup   19 Apr 2024

The HCM team were busy at the recent FIBO Global Fitness event in Cologne, Germany, distributing a special FIBO edition of HCM in .... more>>
Xplor kicks off international expansion for its Mariana Tek software with 1Rebel deal
Xplor kicks off international expansion for its Mariana Tek software with 1Rebel deal   18 Apr 2024

Atlanta-based boutique fitness software company, Xplor Mariana Tek, has kicked off a push for international expansion. Shannon Tracey, VP of sales .... more>>
US named world’s largest wellness economy, reaching US$1.8 trillion valuation
US named world’s largest wellness economy, reaching US$1.8 trillion valuation   18 Apr 2024

The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) has released new data on the US’ wellness economy, valuing it at US$1.8 trillion. According to the .... more>>
Company profile


Alliance Leisure

Alliance Leisure Services was specifically established to respond to the changing development needs of the public sector, education and growing leisure trust market.

View full profile>>

Catalogue gallery


Featured Supplier

Elevate your spa business: master global standards and thrive in Saudi Arabia's tourism boom

Elevate your spa business: master global standards and thrive in Saudi Arabia's tourism boom

Discover how to prepare your spa or wellness facility for the influx of international guests and meet global standards as tourism in Saudi Arabia surges. More>>




in this issue

• Virgin gets right to wipe out rent arrears
• Fitness industry mourns passing of Jan Spaticchia
• STA offers mindfulness resources



World Leisure jobs




Team Leader (Harrow School Fitness Club)
Salary: £13.71 per hour
Location: Harrow on the Hill, Harrow, UK
Company: Harrow School
Centre Manager (Leisure)
Salary: £40,221 - £42,403pa + pension + benefits
Location: Exeter, UK
Company: Exeter City Council
Director of Operations
Salary: £61,000 - £64,000 + exceptional pension + excellent benefits
Location: Luton, UK
Company: Active Luton
Fitness Motivator
Salary: Competitive
Location: Lutterworth
Company: Everyone Active
Diary dates
Powered by leisurediary.com

21-21 Apr 2024

Below the Belt Melbourne Pedalthon

Sandown Racecourse , Springvale , Australia


22-24 Apr 2024

UK Aufguss Championships

Galgorm Resort, York,







Published by Leisure Media Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385 | Contact us | About us | © Cybertrek Ltd